A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Some casinos are standalone facilities, while others are built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships, or other tourist attractions. In addition to gaming tables and machines, many casinos also have sports books, race tracks, and entertainment venues such as concerts and stand-up comedy.

The casino industry is a highly competitive one, and successful casinos make billions of dollars each year for their owners, investors, and shareholders, as well as providing jobs and tax revenues for local governments. In addition, casinos often give away free food and merchandise to patrons in order to attract them and build brand loyalty. These promotions are referred to as comps.

Due to the large amounts of money that move through a casino, both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion with each other or by acting independently. To counter this, casinos employ a variety of security measures. These include a network of video cameras throughout the facility, electronic systems that monitor betting chips for suspicious activity, and computerized monitoring of roulette wheels to detect any deviation from expected results.

Casinos are often located in or near cities with large populations, where they can draw more business and customers. In the United States, the largest casino is the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, Connecticut, owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Indian tribe. Casinos are also found on some American Indian reservations, which are not subject to state antigambling laws.